Field of the Invention. The invention relates to a cartridge clamping device for a plurality of cartridge filtration modules.
Description of the Related Art. DE 10 2006 009 804 B4 discloses a cartridge clamping device for cross-flow filter cassettes. Each cross-flow filter cassette that is used with the cartridge clamping device of DE 10 2006 009 804 B4 has a plurality of cartridge filtration modules, each of which has a distribution plate with one feed channel, one retention channel, one filtrate channel, and at least one first contact surface. A filter cartridge arrangement consisting of at least one filter cartridge can be clamped between the first contact surface of the distribution plate and a clamping surface of a clamping plate that can be moved orthogonally to the contact surface via guiding rods. The cartridge filtration modules can be stacked on top of one another in the area of their distribution plates. The cartridge filtration modules that are stacked on top of each other in the area of their distribution plates are connected to each other in the manner of a parallel circuit.
Although the known device has proven itself in service, it has the disadvantage that, despite an essentially identical configuration of the individual distribution plates, with vertical orientation of the filter cartridges a serial flow through the filter cartridges as well is not possible.
EP 0 498 211 B1 discloses a cartridge clamping device for crossflow filter cartridges in which, for example, four cartridges filtration modules are stackable on top of one another. Thus, the first and second modules as well as the second and third modules are respectively connected in parallel to one another, and the second and third modules are connected to one another in series.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that any two filtration modules that are adjacent to one another must be configured differently. It is also disadvantageous in the case of this known cartridge clamping device that the filter cartridges are arranged transverse to the stack direction, i.e., the feed channel, the retention channel and the filtrate channels of the distribution plate are arranged parallel to the stack direction of the cartridge filtration modules.
Furthermore, DE 20 2014 106 101 U1 discloses a cartridge clamping device for holding a pre-determinable number of filter cartridges with two pressure plates that are on at least one guide rail displaceable relative to each other and between which the filter cartridges are clampable. At least one of the filter cartridges has a distribution plate.
A disadvantage of this design is that the filter cartridges are aligned one inside the other only in the horizontal direction. A parallel arrangement of multiple filter modules (filter cartridges with distribution plates) in a horizontal plane or even a stacking of filter modules in the vertical direction is not provided here.
US 2013/0306539 A1 discloses a cartridge clamping device for holding filter cartridges between two pressure plates that are displaceable relative to each other and between which the filter cartridges are clampable with at least one distribution plate.
In this case, too, the individual filter cartridges are lined up in a single row along a horizontal direction. A parallel arrangement of filter modules adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction or stacked on top of one another in the vertical direction is not provided in this design.
Finally, US 2006/0163141 A1 discloses a cartridge clamping device for a plurality of filter cartridges with two pressure plates that are on at least one guide rail displaceable relative to each other and between which the filter cartridges are clampable. At least one of the clamping plates in this design is configured as a distribution plate.
In this design, too, the filter cartridges are lined up in a single row along a horizontal direction. A parallel arrangement of filter modules in a horizontal or vertical plane is likewise not provided here.
The present invention seeks to solve the problem of enabling both parallel and serial flow into filter cartridges that are vertically arranged in the stack direction. At the same time, the invention seeks to simplify the structure of the distribution plates and the cartridge filtration modules.